A World Apart
by charlie-duck
Summary: This is my first fanfic so please R&R-One of those 'Dropped into fantasy Novel' type stories
1. The Life of Blah

A/N:Yup, another one of those 'I've been thrown into some of my favorite books' type of story, but I'm not going to write it happy go lucky like lots of them are! Since this is my first fanfic, I'd really appreciate R&Rs - please be as brutally honest as you want  
  
Anything you recognize is not mine; anything you don't most likely is! *Anything in the star/asterisks is Alexis' thoughts* and :anything in the colons mindspeech:  
  
Chapter One - The life of Blah  
  
Alexis hated her life. She hated every single aspect of it, right down to the last second. She was sitting in the middle of last period- English , trying with all her might to pay attention to her teacher. Mr. .Moriaty droned on and on, lecturing the class on Oliver Twist. Although English was her passion, he took all the life out of it. *I swear, doesn't he think that maybe the author wrote the book because he felt like it, not because he wanted it to be analyzed?* She rested her head on her crossed arms and allowed his voice to begin to lull her to sleep.  
  
"...can you tell me who you believe is a flat character? Alexis?" His voice was monotone, and it took the entire class a moment to realize he had finished speaking. Alexis shrank down in her seat.  
  
"Um..." She glanced around helplessly, feeling her face heat up as almost every student in the class chose that moment to turn around and stare at her. At the front, she could see Jessica and Kathryn, both smirking at her embarrassment. "Isn't Sikes a flat character?" Her answer was closer to a question, and she ventured on after Mr. Moriaty had nodded. "He didn't change much throughout the novel, being evil at the beginning and simply getting worse throughout?" Again, her teacher nodded and she let loose and involuntary sigh of relief as he turned to another unsuspecting student. The period ended quickly, and Alexis dawdled from the room, slowly putting her books into her backpack and zipping the bag up.  
  
Time to go home. She dreaded it, almost as much as she dreaded lunch. As she slipped unobtrusively into the hall two familiar forms fell into step, one on either side.  
  
"So, Alexis," Jessica began, hooking onto her arm as if they were the best of friends. "Bet you feel pretty smart, don't you, the way you avoid us."  
  
"No, not really. Screw off." Alexis unlatched her arm and pushed away towards the exit of the school. Even though it was winter, she wasn't about to spend more time in the company of Jessica and Kathryn just so that she could get her 'coat'. Struggling through the knee deep snowdrift, Kathryn and Jessica both caught up to her, donned in identical, matching, fashionable jackets.  
  
"Are you scared? Are you just gonna run home to your daddy?" That was Kathryn, her tone mocking and searing Alexis like acid. "Oh, wait, I forgot! Your dads a drunk! He couldn't care less!" Alexis kept going. *Ignore them and they'll leave.*  
  
"You're running away! You're such a baby!" Though the insults were petty, Jessica made them sound like it was the worst thing to say to someone. Alexis counted to ten. And then she did it again. The snow was coming down heavily, leaving large snowflakes in Alexis' black hair and settling on her eyelashes. Her breath was coming in short gasps, as displayed by the puffs of steam appearing before her every time she exhaled.  
  
She didn't hear them coming. One minute, she was taking a step, the next, she was face first in the snow, struggling to push herself up but failing as a booted foot slammed into her rib. She gasped and choked as she breathed in snow, then flipped herself over and seized Jessica's (or was it Kathryn's?) ankle and pulling her down into the snow as well. But she was outnumbered, and a few long minutes later, Alexis pulled herself to her feet, carefully feeling to make sure nothing was broken. She could feel her eye swelling up and blood running down her face from her nose, but she'd had worse. She'd manage.  
  
After stumbling the rest of the way home because she could only see from one eye, Alexis took a quick shower and changed into some clean clothes. Her father wasn't home yet, thank God, but he would be soon. Either that or he was passed out on the floor somewhere and she simply hadn't tripped over him yet. Desperately, she hoped it was the second.  
  
With her luck, he wasn't. Some half hour later, her father banged open the front door of the ramshackle condo, kicking off his boots at the wall and pounding up the stairs. Alexis looked up from her novel, 'By the Sword', and reluctantly closed it. Although she had read all the Valdemar novels numerous times, she enjoyed going back and reading the again. Fantasy novels were her one escape from reality, the one place she could pretend she wasn't getting beat up at school or beat up at home. So much for an escape, however.  
  
"ALEXIS?" The rough voice yelled. *Great. He's either staggering drunk or has a hangover* She sighed and pulled herself up from her corner. "GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE! NOW!"  
  
"Coming!" She called, knowing she'd get in even more trouble if she didn't respond. Slowly, she went down the stairs, snatching up her cheap Wal-Mart hoodie and pulling it on as she reached the bottom. Her father was waiting there, his arm wrapped around a scantily clad woman who was wearing too much make up.  
  
"I wanna be left 'lone, y'hear?!" Her father demanded, and she could smell the beer on his breath from where she was standing. She didn't say anything, but recoiled slightly as her father and his companion made their way up the stairs. "Y'hear?"  
  
"Yes, dad, I hear you." Her voice was dull and she turned to leave the house. Maybe one of the school janitors would let her back it so that she could get her coat.  
  
"An' what happened to yer face? Didja get hit by a car or some'n?" Her father sneered, leaning unsteadily over the banister. Alexis glared up at him and then left the house.  
  
Some time later, she returned, arms nearly blue from cold. The janitors wouldn't let her back in and the hoodie hadn't done much to protect against the cutting wind. She passed her father and that woman, asleep in the middle of the hall, though she had no idea why they would be lying there, and made her way into her bedroom, her 'sanctuary'. It was past midnight, and she had school the next day. *Better get some sleep.* She thought groggily, crawling into her bed fully clothed. The last thing she recalled before she fell asleep was that her room no longer looked like her room...  
  
A/N So? What do you think? R&R please! 


	2. Its ALIVE!

A/N: Wow! I actually got reviewed! Thank you everyone! :D  
  
Cat- Don't worry, I'm not going to make her feel sorry for herself (I was rereading it last night and decided I started it off all wrong) so there's no need to worry about her getting depressed-she will notice the Herald Trainees have had it worse than her or just as bad. Her father isn't really a major character (actually, no one in the first chapter really is, except Alexis herself) because I use the first chapter more to get a handle and give readers a handle on the character.did that make any sense?  
  
Q- I haven't really meant for it to be original yet, so no worries! :)  
  
Silvervine- thank you! I try to do my best on the writing portion, and the story line usually follows.or gets lost somewhere in occasional cases  
  
Just a note, now that she's been sent back: This is about a hundred years after Lavan Firestorm's death, and I'm almost positive (too lazy to get one of the books from my shelf) Misty hasn't written any Valdemar novels during that time so I won't have to worry about character conflicts (I would probably screw up writing her characters royally anyway.except maybe Albrich) so there hopefully won't be any characters you recognise unless they are mentioned in the past tense  
  
Ok, now that I'm finished the nice long A/N, time for the story!  
  
Chapter 2- Its ALIVE!!!  
  
"Papa," The high pitched voice was enough to wake Alexis. "d'ya think its dead?" She wished she hadn't woken up; her whole body felt like it was on fire, and her head was pounding in steady rhythms. She lay there for a moment, trying to get her bearings and figure out where she was. She knew she wasn't at home in bed. Perhaps it had been the rock digging into her hip, or possibly that she was face down in dirt. Or maybe just the light breeze that was rustling leaves overhead or the sun shining down on her face. Her room didn't have a window. A second voice spoke.  
  
"Her, Tom," It was a deep, rough sounding voice. Alexis had to suppress a groan as a stick or a foot prodded her in the ribs. "It's a her, and I don't think ~she~ is dead." The prodding became more insistent, and finally Alexis gathered the courage to push herself up and face the speakers. A tall man, dressed in almost medieval style peasant clothes -Brown trousers, a loose brown shirt, and a broad brimmed hat- stared down at her with dark eyes openly curious. Two small children hid behind his legs; a girl, no more than three, garbed in a short, dirty dress with dark hair flowing loose and falling in large blue eyes and a boy, perhaps a year older that his sister, dressed almost identical to his father with straw coloured hair falling into eyes as large, round and light as the girls. Alexis stared at the farmer and his children; they stared openly back. Then, the girl ran in the opposite direction, screaming at the top of her lungs. Alexis barely made out what she said because her voice was higher pitched than her brother's, if that was even possible.  
  
"MAMA!!!" Alexis winced and clutched at her head. "IT S'ALIVE!!!" Seconds later, the boy ran shrieking after his sister. Only the father remained, watching her with curiosity as she began to pull leaves out of her hair.  
  
"Do you mind?" She said dryly, and pulled herself to her feet with a groan, sending more dirt, leaves, and branches cascading to the ground. She appeared to be in the center of a small woodland, surrounded by trees just beginning to change their colour. The trees were young and not at all thick, considering she could see a whitewashed farmhouse in the distance over the man's shoulder. "I'd appreciate ~not~ being stared at." The man started, and then glanced away with an embarrassed flush.  
  
"Uh.sorry." His voice was a deep rumble and he offered out a hand. Gingerly, Alexis took it, feeling the calluses rough against her fairly smooth palm. "It's just that.we've never seen 'nyone dressed like you, an we've been farmin' this country forever." She looked around, trying to locate anything familiar. There was nothing; she somewhat doubted she was in Canada anymore, let alone in her neighbourhood. She couldn't remember how she'd arrived; she could remember going to bed, her father arriving home with that whore, getting beat up after school. Gingerly, she touched her eye, and winced as she encountered her black eye, telling her this arrival was recent.  
  
"If you don't mind," Alexis said feeling somewhat foolish. "Could you tell me where I am, exactly? Toronto? B.C.? The States?" The man looked at her blankly.  
  
"Never heard of 'ny of those. We're out a few days from Haven." She stared at him blankly. She'd never heard of a city called 'Haven' except in the Valdemar novels, and those weren't real.  
  
"Where?" The farmer stared at her, obviously exasperated.  
  
"Haven!" He shouted, enunciating the word slowly as though she were a young, stupid child, not the fifteen year old she really was. "In VALDEMAR!" She flinched away, his shout making her ears ring and her head pound with more intensity. Even so, she couldn't help but gape at him.  
  
"No. Way." Her voice was barely above a low whisper. "That is just not possible." She was sure by now the poor farmer must have thought he had a crazy girl on his hands. *And what's saying he doesn't? I didn't think it was possible to go to bed one night and wake up in a novel. I ~know~ it isn't possible.* He was staring at her, thoughts clearly passing across his face. 'What in the world have I gotten myself into?'  
  
"Why not?" He sounded confused now. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, trying to decided the best way to explain to him that the world he thought he was living in was a world of fiction. None of it was real. *But it certainly feels real enough, I don't dream in colour, and* she grimaced, trying to shift into a more comfortable position, a challenge considering every muscle burned and screamed every time she moved. *And, I hurt way too much to be dead.*  
  
"Um." She decided it would be best not to mention anything. *Besides, what he doesn't know can't hurt him.* "Its just that I'm a little disoriented from my arrival." She hesitated, wondering if she should ask him for anything, but he beat her to it.  
  
"Come stay with us. Lydia would be happy to have you stay for a few days." He turned around and headed back towards the farmhouse without further preamble. Alexis started after him slowly.  
  
"I'm Alexis." She tried to keep her voice light and calm as her pulled muscles pulled some more.  
  
"John." He didn't mention a last name, nor did she. They were up the stairs of the farmhouse now, and he held the door open. A motherly looking woman- or as motherly as Alexis could imagine considering she had never known her own-stood there, long skirt covered by a splotched apron. She shed it when she saw Alexis, clucking over her black eye and split lip and gathering her into her arms. After a quick, rib cracking hug, she led Alexis to a small room in the back and had her strip and get into a large tub full of steaming water. The children must have warned their mother ahead of time of Alexis' arrival; she could see no tap, only a large metal bucket full of lukewarm water. Clean, Alexis was told to change into clothes similar to that of the daughter, Michelle, and the mother, Lydia, complete with apron.  
  
Then she was put to work; washing dishes, helping to prepare dinner, and helping to clean house. Nothing she had never done before, but without a .sink, dishwasher, stove, oven, etc.it made things a little different. From what she had gathered, John and Lydia were a fairly new couple in their un- named-as-of-yet farming community. Valdemar was under the reign of Queen Landry, but that was as far as the farming couple knew. Life continued as usual from day to day, a new King or Queen making no difference to their lives. Every so often, there would be Heralds, or newly Chosen Heralds galloping past, but other than that, they simply concerned themselves with the simple life.  
  
She fell into the rhythm of their everyday life: get up, make breakfast, clean house, make lunch, do cleaning or help in the fields, make dinner, clean up, go to bed.It was simple, yet satisfying in an odd sort of way. She became more relaxed as her old life got further and further from her, as she was assimilated more and more into this new life. She didn't have to worry about the kids at school or her father while he was drunk. She just had to make sure she did all her chores and all went well.  
  
Of course, all good things must come to an end. That's the way it always happens, and it came sooner than Alexis wanted in a completely unexpected form. But then again, every thing about life is at least a little unexpected. Isn't it? 


	3. The Return of the Herald Trainee that is...

Chapter 3 - The Return of the Herald (Trainee that is!) aka Sam's Return  
  
Sam sat casually in his saddle; book in one hand, apple in the other. His Grays were pristine; Seriyn's saddle a plain contrast to her splendour.  
  
: You give me too much justice, Chosen.: He could tell she was secretly pleased, and smiled.  
  
"No I don't, pretty lady, and you know it." He leaned forward and gave her his apple core, then closed up his book when he saw that they had entered familiar territory. She had galloped only as Companions could until they were only a half a day or so from home, and then she had slowed down to a walk to give them both time to enjoy the scenery. He was slightly nervous, though he had no idea why. He knew he shouldn't be in the least, but he was still worried his parents would act different around him like Ty's did, or would decided they didn't want a son who was destined to become a Herald. This was the first time he had had a chance to visit since he was Chosen.  
  
: Stop that!: Seriyn said indignantly. : You know that they are proud of you, and they won't treat you different. You haven't changed.: He shrugged and pushed the thought from his mind as he rounded the bend to home. The fields were golden, almost ready to be harvested, the leaves covered the dirt path and muffled Seriyn's hooves, and the whitewashed farmhouse looked the same as it always did.  
  
"SAM!!!" Michelle came pounding from the tree stand off to his left, brown hair streaming behind her like a banner and shrieking at the top of her tiny lungs. "YOU'RE BACK!!!" Sam dismounted, laughing, and scooped his younger sister up in a giant bear hug, swinging her through the air and the catching her up in his arms.  
  
"So, Misha, how've you been?" He tapped her nose with one finger and was rewarded with a giggle. He never heard her answer, for Tom was following close behind and pulling on his older brother's leg. Using his free arm, Sam scooped up the five year old and grinned at him.  
  
"Sam!" His mother came next, wiping her hands on her apron and walking over quickly; Lydia never ran. "I'm so glad you came! How long will you be staying?" With a groan, Sam stood from placing his siblings on the ground.  
  
"Only a couple of days, to help with harvesting. The only reason they let me go was because of that.and because Seriyn insisted." He grinned and beckoned her forward. "Mom, this is Seriyn." Lydia curtsied respectfully and hugged her son.  
  
"I'm glad you're home, honey. John!" Her husband appeared from the fields, running towards them when he saw his son standing there. When he arrived, he held out a hand to his son, proud grin twitching the corners of his mouth.  
  
"Good to see you son." He turned and bowed to his Companion. "And who might this fine lady be?" Once introductions were made, the family headed towards the house.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Alexis watched the young man's arrival unseen from the kitchen door, face expressionless as the family exchanged greetings. He looked to be about her age, no more that sixteen, and was dressed in an unfamiliar grey uniform, though from her reading she recognised them as the Heraldic Trainee uniform. Dark hair matched his fathers, and from this distance she could tell he favoured his father in appearance more than his mother. That could be taken two ways: as a bad thing, or as a great thing. John would have been a great looking man when he was younger, and the years had been kind, though she estimated from the grey in his hair and the creases in his face that he was close to forty years old. The boy must be their oldest; from what she had heard, John and Lydia had had five children, but the middle two, aged 12 and 7 had both been killed through farming accidents. She wasn't sure if she welcomed their eldest in his arrival. *What will he think of me? Some girl they picked up out of no where?* She frowned. He could upset the delicate balance she had woven with these farmers, something she didn't want to risk. She had come to love John and Lydia as if they were her own parents, because they acted as the role models she had never had, and she was constantly charmed by Michelle and Tom. She suddenly became aware that they were all coming towards the house again, so she quickly turned around and picked up an empty bucket. *I'll just go fill this, give them some time alone.* Quickly, she rushed out the door, unwilling to admit to herself that she wasn't quite ready for a confrontation yet.  
  
It took less time than she had anticipated to fill the bucket from the well, and she was lugging it back towards the house when she was stopped dead in her tracks. The boy's companion stood in her way, examining her with one sky blue eye. For a moment, her breath was stopped at the sheer beauty of the horse-but it wasn't a horse, now was it? She was not rider, but even an inexperienced eye could tell she was a beauty and hastily Alexis broke eye contact. She felt like she had been trapped in a spell, and she didn't like it.  
  
"If you'll excuse me." She did a slight half-bow and skirted around the mare. She could feel the mare's eyes on her back as she hurried up the back steps and pushed open the door. She edged into the house, feeling her stomach sink, and carefully let the door drop. After catching it with her ankle and lowering it into place (she was skilled at making silent entries, especially when her 'old' father was drunk), she skirted around the dark edge of the wall and quietly placed the bucket in the corner. Hoping she hadn't been noticed, Alexis headed back towards the door-and was stopped in her tracks as John called her name.  
  
"Yes?" She turned around, her escape blown, and tried to appear calm and relaxed. She smiled as John beckoned her over, an expression hard to keep as he stomach jumped into her mouth and butterflies fluttered around in her gut. John was also smiling, and she could see up close that father and son were almost copies of each other. *Damn. He has to be good looking too.* She wasn't liking this, not in the least. *And he's going to be a Herald too, which means he's got to be nice!*  
  
"Sam, this is Alexis, Alexis, our oldest, Sam." She smiled briefly and accepted his hand gingerly. He looked at her curiously, and she quickly excused herself after making some polite conversation. *Too crowded-need to get some air* She told herself, though she knew it wasn't true. Instead, she scooped up a bucket, and after telling everyone she would be back, went out to the well for a second time. The Companion was no where in sight, and she breathed a soft sigh of relief as she sat down on the bench beside the well.  
  
"Alexis?" She jumped and knocked over the bucket as a voice spoke up from behind her . Blushing, she righted it and glanced over at the person who had startled her; unsurprisingly, it was Sam. She stood up, brushing off her skirt and feeling quite stupid. She imagined she must look like quite an idiot. *I'm brilliant, aren't I?* She didn't let her sarcasm show in her voice.  
  
"Uh.Hi." *My didn't that sound brilliant.* She flushed and turned away quite embarrassed. There was a long awkward silence, broken by the Herald Trainee.  
  
"Seriyn told me I should come talk to you." He sounded confused, like had no idea ~why~ his companion would ask such a thing. "She said you needed something." She took a breath to calm herself; she hated it when people thought she needed help-she could manage on her own! She always had, she always would. She didn't need anyone.  
  
"No, I'm fine." She counted to ten to stop herself from snapping at him. "I don't need anything. I'm correct in assuming Seriyn is your Companion?"  
  
"Yes." Carefully, Alexis drew some water from the well and dumped it in her bucket. She thought carefully how to phrase the next sentence.  
  
"Please ask her to keep her nose out of other people's business, and out of their lives. Especially mine." Without waiting for Sam to respond, she brushed past him and headed towards the house. This was going to be a long few days. 


	4. Conflicts and Resolutions

A/N- Since I forgot the last couple of chapters: Anything you do recognize is not mine (obviously it's Misty's) , and I claim ownership of all unfamiliar characters especially Alexis, Sam, Seriyn, and any others I missed or might be coming out with in the future.  
  
Thank you for the reviews, and please, keep reviewing!! Thanks!  
  
Chapter 4 - Conflicts and Resolutions  
  
Alexis avoided Sam for the next few days, and she found the task was one of the most challenging she had ever undertaken. This was strange, especially since her in her 'old' life she had avoided more people in a week than she could count on two hands. She spent most of her days working on blending in and appearing to be part of the scenery so that no one would notice her, but then again, no one had been actually ~looking~ for her specifically then.  
  
She was becoming increasingly frustrated however. Every time she came out of a room, Sam was there, almost as if he had sensed her coming. She almost would have though he had been sensing her thoughts, but she doubted it only because she knew Heralds were supposed to have certain guidelines when it came to Thought Sensing and Mind Speaking. And whenever ~he~ wasn't there, his Companion was, which Alexis considered to be almost even worse. It wasn't natural, the way the 'horses' eyes gleamed intelligently, though she seemed to be courteous enough considering she was always following Alexis around. Over all, the situation was enough to put Alexis on edge.  
  
When ever she saw Seriyn, she couldn't help but scowl, and that earned funny glances from anyone who saw. After all, Companions were well liked by everyone else, why shouldn't she be in awe of them too? *They don't have the bloody thing sticking its nose in they're lives, either!* She slammed the bread dough onto the table with a little more force than she had meant to. *I don't ~need~ anything - I never have, and just because some horse says I do doesn't mean I want people giving it to me! I can do fine enough on my own, thank you very much!* The bread dough began to get a beating. *And seriously, what can a guy hardly older than me and a four-legged- creature-that-just-happens-to-be a-little-more-intelligent-than-your- average-beast-of-burden do for me? I'm just a girl who isn't from this world. And neither of them can know that, right?*  
  
The door opened as she slammed her fist into the dough one last time. Without glancing to see who it was, she slammed it onto a pan and shoved it into the fire filled oven. Someone cleared his throat, and without glancing up, she pulled over some carrots and began to chop them using a sharp knife.  
  
"Go away, Sam." She looked at him then, holding the knife like she would rather it be in his throat than anywhere else. He glanced at the knife, and then back at her face. She didn't scowl, but she didn't look all to happy to see him either. He shook his head.  
  
"Alexis, you need to stop avoiding me." He sounded more sure of himself as compared to other times he had approached her. Slowly and deliberately, he took a step closer to her, and then another. She didn't move, but instead she ignored him and continued to chop the carrots. She almost felt sorry for the poor, abused vegetable because it was receiving the full brunt of her anger and frustration. Sam came to stand right next to her, arms crossed over his chest. "Really, you do. I'm sick and tired of stalking you, when all I did was come home to help with harvest." She glanced up at him, staring him directly in the clear hazel eyes. She looked away first, pushing the remains of the carrots off to one side and pulling over an onion.  
  
"Good. Maybe you'll leave me alone then." She sliced the onion and began to hack away at it. He stood there in silence for a moment, and she spoke again. "What? Did you really think I would simply ~agree~ to talk to you?" She hoped he hadn't, because then he had placed himself in a position of severe disappointment.  
  
"Well, no but-"  
  
"Good. I hate to be the bearer of bad news. If you aren't going to help me, go away." She glared at him, and if he didn't realize that meant 'Go Away!', he would have to either be stupid, or very, very determined. He grabbed a potato, pulled a knife from somewhere, and began to chop it with the same ferocity as she was her onion. She elbowed him and he moved to the other side of the table, watching her and not the potato.  
  
"I'm helping now, happy? Now, you are going to listen, and you're going to answer my questions." She scowled at him and chopped faster.  
  
"Really. Since when?" She wasn't in a good mood-why couldn't he just go away? It didn't occur to her that it was she that was the interloper, not him. She didn't belong in Valdemar, on a farm. "I don't have to talk to you. What are you going to do? Truth Spell me?" He looked like he really wished he could.  
  
(A/N: Sam's turn!)  
  
Sam was annoyed, probably as much as that girl, Alexis was. Every time he tried to talk to her, she either ran off or pushed him away with an angry comment, and she was starting to get on his nerves. The fact that she was getting to him bothered him, especially since he had always considered himself fairly even tempered. He tried to give everyone a chance, to hear both sides of the story without getting angry, to be fair, but with her, simply speaking with her made him want to throttle her. And what was with her 'needing' something anyway? That was something even his blasted Companion couldn't answer.  
  
:Actually, Chosen, she doesn't need something, per say,: Seriyn was as annoyed with her as he was, though she seemed to be handling it better. :I phrased it wrong the first time, I suppose. Its more that-: The Companion's voice trailed off for a moment as she struggled to explain herself in words. :-its like her mind, her soul seem to be calling out for something to fill a void. It's hard to describe.: Sam didn't understand, but he didn't say anything, instead headed up towards the house where Alexis surely would be. He had some questions of his own to ask her along side of Seriyn's questions.  
  
He pushed open the door and stood in the doorway until his eyes had adjusted. Alexis was standing at the table, kneading bread. As he watched, she slammed it into a pan with a force that made him flinch and shoved it into the oven. He cleared his throat as she began to chop carrots.  
  
"Go away, Sam." Her eyes glinted, shining as blue as his Companion's even in the dim light. She was holding the knife in a very threatening manner, and the lessons the Weapons master had drilled into his head echoed in his mind. *Always watch the weapon, boy.* He glanced at it, then back at her face. He somewhat doubted she would try to kill him, nor was she close enough to do him any harm. Yet. Even so, he didn't want to betray his nervousness with a trembling voice, so he shook his head instead.  
  
She went back to chopping vegetables, and he made a split second decision. Seriyn was oddly quiet in his mind, and he squared his shoulders and began speaking.  
  
"Alexis, you need to stop avoiding me." *Please don't stab me!* He took a step closer, and then another, proud that his voice was more confident than usual. "Really, you do. I'm sick and tired of stalking you, when all I did was come home to help with harvest." *Some vacation. Instead, I'm stuck with some girl who won't even talk with me, a Companion who insists I do, and a family that is oblivious to it all.* He crossed his arms and stared down at her. She looked up at him, golden coloured hair falling carelessly into her eyes, and scowled at him. He kept her eyes locked with his until she turned and grabbed an onion. Thwack, thwack. The knife hit the table top in even strokes.  
  
"Good. Maybe you'll leave me alone then." Well, that wasn't the answer he was expecting.  
  
"Well, no but-" Actually, he had, but he wasn't about to tell her that.  
  
"Good, I hate to be the bearer of bad news. If you aren't going to help me, go away." Her glare clearly told him to leave, but he wasn't going to leave without getting some answers first. With a grim smile, he snatched up a knife, seized a potato, and began to chop it, watching her from the corner of his eye. She elbowed him in the stomach, causing the air to rush from his lungs, and he moved around to the other side of the table, resisting the urge to bend over and clutch his gut.  
  
"I'm helping now, happy?" He was angry now, and frustrated. And Seriyn ~still~ wasn't saying anything. "Now you are going to listen, and you're going to answer my questions." He was tired of this childish game; he was going to end it then and there. Alexis seemed to have other plans.  
  
"Really. Since when? I don't have to talk to you. What are you going to do? Truth Spell me?" It was his turn to scowl and chop the potato like it was her neck under the knife instead of his supper. Thwack, thunk. Thwack, thunk. Their knives filled up the space where his answer could have been. *I really wish I knew that Truth Spell!* Instead of saying something to that effect, he snorted.  
  
"I could Truth Spell you if I really wanted to, but that's a waste of my time and energy." *Alright, so that's a lie.* "Don't you think?" He paused and pushed the remains of his potato off to one side and grabbed another. "Why won't you talk to me? It's not like I'm going to chop you up into little pieces and feed you to the wolves, is it?" *Oh, how I'd love to do that though.* "Seriyn has been on my back about you for the past few days, and it is really starting to get on my nerves." *That's the truth.* "Who are you? Where are you from? And why is Seriyn so obsessed with what ever she says you need? Or filled. Or whatever!" She stared at him for a moment, expression unreadable.  
  
"And why should I tell you anything? And I thought I told you to tell Seriyn to get her nose out of my life!" She threw down the knife and glared at him. It was enough to make him get a better grip on his own knife and take a step backwards.  
  
"She has! Its kind of hard to do when you're radiating your need or your void or whatever Seriyn says it is all over the place!" Sam tried to keep his voice even, but it was a struggle to not shout.  
  
"Oh, really? I thought we covered this already! I DON'T NEED ANYTHING!!!" She was shouting, and they had moved closer together until they were not even a foot apart.  
  
"I'd love to say the same think Alexis, but when you have a COMPANION in your HEAD shouting all this in your ear, it's hard to ignore! Who are you?" He was shouting back now.  
  
"None of your God damn business!"  
  
"Its all my God damn business!"  
  
"FINE! I am Alexis! I don't come from here! I come from Alberta, Canada! THAT'S ON ANOTHER WORLD!"  
  
"THANK YOU!" No matter how unbelievable her answer was, it was an answer and he was happy with that. "That's all I wanted to know!" He was surprised their screaming hadn't attracted his parents or his siblings yet. (A/N: Back to Alexis!)  
  
Alexis took a shaky breath to calm herself, crossed her arms, and turned away, fighting back tears. She hadn't realized it until now, but all she wanted to do was to pour out her whole story to someone, someone who would listen, and find a different life. She had found a different life, in a way, but farming just wasn't for her. She loved John, Lydia, Tom, and Michelle dearly, but she knew this wasn't the right place for her. She was a city girl, a nobody. And that was how it should have stayed, wasn't it? Tears welled up and a wave of homesickness washed over her. *Why am I homesick? There's nothing back there anyway!* She longed for something familiar, even if it was Jessica taunting her or her father's coarse voice screaming at her in a drunken rage. She didn't know anyone here, she didn't know what to expect, but at home she did. *But I'm better off here! What's wrong with me?* She didn't turn to face Sam, though she could feel his eyes boring into her back.  
  
"Now go away." She muttered, throwing open the oven and taking the hot bread out. The smell filled the room, giving it a nice homey affect that seemed out of place after their angry fight. She blinked her eyes quickly, shoving the tears and the sorrow down into the depths of her soul, and hoped Sam hadn't noticed.  
  
She had thought he had left until she walked right into him. He looked at her curiously, all the anger from a moment before dissipated, and tilted her chin up gently. She glared at him, challenged him with her gaze, and he brushed something from her face. Then she realized a tear had escaped, and than broke her dam. Sobbing, she threw herself into his arms, seeking a comfort she could only hope was there. She wanted to go back so bad! So bad ...  
  
Sam held her and walked them both outside to the well, the one place he knew she could be alone. Patiently, he sat there, holding her gently. It was almost like he was afraid to break her, and even through her tears she noticed that. Finally, she finished, and only then did she really realize what she had done.  
  
"I'm sorry." Her face flushed with embarrassment as she used her sleeves to wipe up the last traces of her tears. "I didn't mean to do that." She really hadn't. *I can't believe I just cried, on a total stranger none the less!* She didn't cry; no matter how bad it had gotten, she'd just shoved it all down and willed it to disappear. Usually it did, and all was 'fine' again. She couldn't afford to cry.  
  
"That's alright." He sounded almost relieved, though whether it was because she was finally off of him or finally talking to him she couldn't tell. "You needed to do that." He frowned. "But Seriyn says -" His voice trailed off and he took on a far away look. *He must be talking with his Companion.* Alexis guessed. "Never mind. Do you want to come back to Haven with us?"  
  
Alexis had no idea what prompted that question, but at the moment she didn't care. Her whole demeanor changed, and she finally relaxed around him, becoming more cheerful and less bitter.  
  
"Really?" She needed the change. "Are you serious?" He nodded. "But where would I stay? What would I do?"  
  
"No idea. Seriyn says that there will be arrangements by the time we arrive though." She shook her head, unaccustomed to being so - so happy. She wasn't sure if she liked it.  
  
"I'll take your word for it." *What's happening to me? Is that Companion making me more agreeable?* It certainly seemed that way. Together, Alexis and Sam went back in to tell John and Lydia the new plans.  
  
A/N: Actually, I don't really know why I'm posting this, because I'm not really happy with the last bit (from just after Sam's POV) but I can't think of a better way to write it down at the moment. Please R&R!!! 


	5. Haven

A/N: OK, it has been a while since I posted the last chapter, sorry about that. Anything you don't recognize as Misty's is mine, and I claim ownership of it. Just as a note, this chapter is from Sam's point of view. Thanks!  
  
Chapter 5: Haven  
  
Sam watched Alexis out of the corner of his eye, trying to decide whether or not to laugh as she attempted to stay on her seat. They were taking a much more leisurely pace back to Haven than the pace Sam had taken out, but that was mostly so Alexis' poor mount could keep up. He was trying to figure her out. She had broken down on him less than a day ago, then quickly became more cheerful, and now she was completely calm as if the whole argument had never happened. Whenever he asked Seriyn about it, the Companion didn't answer, instead radiated smugness. He shook his head, scowled at his Companion's back, and daydreamed a bit. Alexis was silent, and he couldn't see how she could be so calm about all this. *Another world? That doesn't make any sense.* He really wished he could Truth Spell her, to find out where she was really from. Karse? The thought had never occurred to him, but he doubted even the Karsites would station a spy on a farm, one who spoke Valdemaran perfectly and was only a teenaged girl not much older than some of the Herald-Trainees. No, the Karsites weren't stupid.  
  
:Maybe she doesn't remember.: Seriyn spoke up; she'd been eavesdropping- again. :I wouldn't 'eavesdrop' if you didn't think so loud: Sam scowled down at her back but kept his peace. They were close to Haven; just one more bend and they would be home. Minutes later, they rounded the predicted turn and Sam was rewarded by Alexis' gasp.  
  
"Pretty amazing, isn't it." He said smugly, almost like had built it himself. "C'mon, we're almost there." Seriyn began to trot without him telling her to, and after a moment Alexis caught up, clinging to the horse like she was going to fly off. Sam grinned and shook his head as she gave him a look that clearly said, 'Laugh, and you will be dead.'  
  
:You know, they want to test her for gifts as soon as we get back. Maybe that's why she's radiating whatever it is.: They passed through the outer city gates and Sam began to point out certian landmarks as they got further and further in.  
  
:Really? They know about her?: He replied absently as he waved at one of the guards to the entrance to the Collegiums. Seriyn didn't answer, but he got the distinct feeling she was conversing with someone other than him.  
  
:Now they do.: Was all the warning Sam and Alexis had before they were 'assaulted' by white-clad Heralds. Fending them off with one hand, Sam went over and helped Alexis fall from her saddle and shielded her from his teachers and mentors.  
  
"Yes, we're back. I take it you've heard everything via Seriyn?" They nodded and the Queen's Own, a tall man named Jared, spoke up.  
  
"Yes; the Healers want to take a look at you, Alexis, to see how you're doing. Do you mind?" Jared was the sort of man who reassured people simply by his presence, and when he spoke to you, he seemed to actually, genuinely care. Shyly, Alexis shook her head, which was another change in demeanor that Sam wasn't expecting. Alexis? Shy? He watched her as Jared led her off, and then headed for the stables to clean Seriyn up. 


End file.
